Red Maple Leaves
by XFangHeartX
Summary: The village loses a cherished member. Read and review, and no flames or hate, please.


Inuyasha:

Red Maple Leaves

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Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Story and OCs © Me

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Summary- The village loses a cherished member.

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WARNING: This story contains character death. Viewer discretion is advised.

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It was a crisp autumn morning in the village. Leaves of yellow, orange, and red dotted the dirt road as Kagome walked toward a certain hut with Ichiro following after her. In the young priestess' hand was a basket of herbs she picked from her garden this morning. She had been going around, handing some out to anybody who needed them, and her last stop was at Kaede's hut.

"I wonder how Kaede's been, lately," said Kagome. "I know that she's been doing pretty poorly."

"You think she'll like the herbs we picked, Mom?" Ichiro asked.

"I hope so," Kagome answered. "She's the one who taught me which herbs are good for her ailments."

"Granny Kaede really taught you a lot, huh, Mom?" Ichiro asked.

"Of course," Kagome replied with a soft, fond smile. "I owe a lot to Kaede. If it weren't for her, I don't know what I'd do. I still feel like I have a long way before I'm actually a real priestess, though."

"You sure?" Ichiro asked. "Because I think you make a great priestess! You're a great shot and you know what herbs work best for healing people!"

"Oh, I know, mister," Kagome replied with a smirk. "You come home with more scratches on you than your dad does."

"Well, Tsuki plays rough," Ichiro pointed out, causing his mother to chuckle as they approached the hut.

"Well, here we are," she said. "Kaede! It's Kagome and Ichiro! We brought you something!"

No one answered.

"Kaede?" Kagome asked. "Hello? Are you awake, yet?"

Still no answer.

"That's strange," Kagome muttered. "Maybe she's having trouble getting up? I know her back's been bothering her, lately."

Suddenly, Ichiro's nose twitched and his golden eyes went wide before he took a step back.

"Hmm?" Kagome hummed as she noticed her son's apprehension. "Ichi? What's wrong?"

A pause...but then Ichiro swallowed as he looked up at his mother.

"Mom...I smell...I smell death," he said...and almost instantly, all color left Kagome's face and her eyes went wide. She looked to the straw mat that made up Kaede's door before she hurriedly pushed it open...only to gasp in horror.

Kaede was lying on her futon, eerily still...a peaceful smile on her face with her single eye closed. Kagome dropped to her knees, her hand flying to her mouth while tears welled up in her eyes...and it wasn't long before she broke down in sobs. Ichiro ran over to his mother's side, putting his arms around her shoulders...even as tears of his own fell from his eyes.

XXX

Word of Kaede's passing spread throughout the village, and needless to say, everyone was distraught. The funeral took place later that day as everyone gathered around the pyre, watching the old priestess' body burn away into ash. Even then, she still maintained a peaceful look as she was cremated.

As the villagers watched, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Kohaku, and all the children stood around, tearfully.

"I...I just can't believe it...!" Shippo sniffed. "I can't believe she's really gone...!"

"We can't either," Sango whispered, her hand over her mouth as her tears fell, and the twins were both sobbing as they watched while their uncle put his hands around both their shoulders in an effort to console them. Kirara mewled sadly as she nuzzled her mistress' face while Miroku held up his hand in silent prayer, even with little Shio tied to his back.

"...Why did she die?" asked Roku as he stood next to his father. "Why did this happen, Dad?"

"Death is just as natural as life, son," Miroku said. "It happens without warning...and even if there was a warning, it doesn't make it any less heartbreaking."

"...But why Granny Kaede?" Roku asked. "Why did it have to happen to her?"

"Kaede was simply old, Roku," Miroku replied. "That's all there is to it."

"...I...I didn't think she'd ever die," Inuyasha spoke up, causing Ichiro to look up at him...and imagine his surprise when he saw tears falling from his father's eyes. "I'm...I'm going to miss her...I mean...we had our spats and all, but...she was one of the few people who treated me like I was her son." He sniffled and wiped his eyes. "...She's with Kikyo, now. That's all I can hope for."

Ichiro sighed sadly before he looked around...and that's when he noticed something.

"...Hey, Dad?" he asked. "Where's Mom?"

"Your...your mother didn't wanna be here, right now," Inuyasha replied. "She was too upset...and I don't blame her."

Ichiro cast his eyes to the ground, where he found several leaves...but the one that caught his eye most was a red maple leaf, which he picked up and held between his finger and thumb.

XXX

Kagome sat on the hill, staring out toward the sunset. Yamako was sitting at her side while she had Sanka in her arms, both of them staring up at the mother, worriedly, even though they didn't quite understand what was happening. The wind blew, softly, pushing up her hair and sending it in waves. She sighed as she looked up at the red sky.

_'Strange...suddenly, I'm experiencing déjà vu...'_

At that moment, her mind brought her back to almost 12 years ago...when Inuyasha was sitting in a field of grass, holding a dying Kikyo in his arms...and as her vision blurred, she found herself back in the present.

"...I'm sorry, Kaede..." she whispered. "I'm...I'm so sorry...!"

"What are you sorry for, Mom?"

Kagome gasped before she turned to see Ichiro and Inuyasha approaching her.

"Oh, Inuyasha, Ichi," she acknowledged.

"The funeral's over," Inuyasha replied. "Are you okay?"

"...No," Kagome replied as she looked toward the sunset again, and soon her husband and eldest son joined her. "I...I feel like I could've helped her."

"Kagome," Inuyasha began, "Kaede passing away wasn't your fault."

"...Then why does it feel like I failed?" Kagome asked, hanging her head. "It...it feels like Kikyo's death, all over again...I feel like...I feel like I let Kaede down...just like Kikyo...!"

"Stop that," Inuyasha said, almost harshly. "Kaede was old, Kagome...and Kikyo...Kikyo was living a sham of a life...but at least she's at peace. That's all I ever really wanted for her."

Kagome bit her lip while Inuyasha put his hand around her shoulders.

"Look on the bright side," he said. "It's sad, what happened to Kaede...but she's resting peacefully, now...and what's more, she and Kikyo are together again."

Kagome's eyes shimmered with unshed tears...and yet, she smiled...even though it was a small, sad smile.

"...You're right," she whispered. "I should be happy about that, shouldn't I?"

"Mommy?" Yamako asked while Sanka gurgled in her mother's arms, causing Kagome to smile at them, while Ichiro went up and held up the maple leaf he found, causing her to smile at him before she took it into her hand, then gently pulled him into her embrace and dropped a kiss on the top of his head, causing him to smile. Inuyasha chuckled before he wrapped his arms around his wife and three kids, all of them watching the sunset under the red maple leaves.

XXX

"W...where am I?"

A young girl stood barefoot amidst a field of bellflowers, the wind blowing softly around her.

"Bellflowers...?" she whispered.

"Kaede!"

The girl gasped silently before she turned and saw the smiling face of a priestess with long, flowing black hair.

"Kikyo!" she exclaimed, happily.

"Come along, Kaede," Kikyo said as she held out her arms to her. "Let's go, together."

"Yes!" Kaede nodded as she ran toward her elder sister's embrace, both sisters laughing cheerfully.

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**THE END**

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R.I.P. Kaede...

Review, please.


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